Also, there is information about apricot nutrition that you must take in mind while purchasing seasonal produce.
Pick up an apricot the next time you’re in the mood for something sweet. The juicy fruit is incredibly excellent and naturally sweet with a hint of tartness. Nevertheless, it turns out that apricots are capable of much more than just pleasing your palate. They provide a plethora of healthy nutrients, ranging from gut-regulating fiber to disease-fighting antioxidants. Find out more about apricot nutrition and how to use the golden fruit in dishes in the paragraphs that follow.
What Are Apricots?
The apricot, which is a fruit native to China and is a type of stone fruit (like peaches), contains a sizable hard pit or “stone” in the middle. According to Pennsylvania State University, this pit guards a seed that is not edible. The fruit’s thin, yellow-orange skin and soft, luscious flesh, both of which are edible, surround it. The fruit, which is linked to peaches and plums, usually reaches its peak in the summer.
Apricot Nutritional Information
Apricots offer carotenoids, otherwise known as plant shades that give produce their yellow-orange tone, as indicated by enlisted dietitian nutritionist Mia Syn, M.S., R.D.N. Carotenoids likewise end up assuming a significant part in apricot nourishment, as they gloat cell reinforcement properties. The most bountiful carotenoid in apricots is beta-carotene, which makes up 60 to 70 percent of the organic product’s carotenoid content. In the body, beta-carotene can transform into vitamin A, a supplement that is fundamental for sound eyes, teeth, and skin, as per the Public Library of Medication (NLM).
Apricots also include flavonoids, vitamins C and E, and carotenoids, according to Charmaine Jones, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.N., registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Food Jonezi. According to the US Department of Agriculture, juicy fruits are also fantastic providers of fiber and minerals including calcium, magnesium, and potassium (USDA).
According to the USDA database, one raw apricot weigh 35 grams and has the following nutritional profile:
- 17 calories
- <1 gram protein
- <1 gram fat
- 4 grams carbohydrate
- <1 gram fiber
- 3 grams sugar
Health Benefits of Apricot
The apricot is known as the “golden fruit” for a reason, too, because to its recognizable tint and high vitamin content. The advantages of apricots include the following:
Defends Against Chronic Illness
ICYMI, apricots are a veritable treasure trove of carotenoids, which are yellow-orange plant pigments that also serve as antioxidants. According to Marissa Meshulam, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., registered dietitian and founder of MPM Nutrition, antioxidants protect cells from damage by scavenging free radicals, or chemicals that produce oxidative stress when present in large quantities. This is important because, according to a 2020 article in Frontiers in Physiology, oxidative stress can eventually lead to chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Meshulam points out that apricots also include flavonoids and vitamins C and E, which have antioxidant properties. In light of all of this, it may be time to start munching on apricots if you’re trying to increase your intake of antioxidants.
Encourages a Healthy Stomach
Gut health comes next on the list of advantages of apricots. According to Meshulam, there is an abundance of fiber in both the meat and peel. This also applies to soluble and insoluble fiber, all of which are necessary for a healthy GI tract. According to the Mayo Clinic, soluble fiber essentially dissolves in water in the stomach and produces a gel-like material. According to Jones, this thickens your stool and may aid with diarrhea prevention or relief. Contrarily, according to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water. According to Syn, this sort of fiber gives the stool more volume and may help with constipation by encouraging regular bowel movements.
Keeps Heart Health
The benefits of heart health are just one aspect of the many things to love about apricot nutrition. The first benefit is that it contains a lot of potassium, an electrolyte, and mineral that supports the heart, according to registered dietitian nutritionist Laura Iu, R.D., C.D.N., C.N.S.C., R.Y.T. Iu notes that potassium specifically “conducts electrical impulses that aid muscular contractions, including [the development of] regular heartbeat.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the mineral can also aid in lowering high blood pressure, often known as hypertension, a significant risk factor for heart disease (CDC).
Oh, and did you know that apricots contain soluble fiber? It adds that this kind of fiber can aid in reducing high blood cholesterol, another risk factor for heart disease. According to Harvard Health Publications, this is because of how soluble fiber interacts with bile acids or other molecules that aid in the absorption of fat. In essence, the soluble fiber in the gut binds to bile acids. Yet, the bile acids travel out of your body with the fiber when you pass stool. In response, your liver produces more bile acids by drawing cholesterol from the blood, lowering blood cholesterol levels.
Supports Immune Function
Need to support your resistant framework? Add apricots to your truck. Nutrients C and E — which are tracked down in apricots — are fundamental for sound resistance, says Jones. In particular, L-ascorbic acid safeguards white platelets (for example cells that battle against contamination) from oxidative pressure, guaranteeing said cells successfully obliterate illness-causing microorganisms, as per a 2020 survey in Wildernesses in Immunology. L-ascorbic acid additionally helps phagocytes (for example white platelets that “eat” risky microorganisms) travel to locales of disease for the sake of keeping you sound. In the meantime, vitamin E “upholds Lymphocytes, which are [white blood cells] responsible for safeguarding your body from infection and microorganisms,” shares Jones. Lymphocytes work by “recollecting” microbes, making it simpler for your body to battle them later on, as per a 2018 article in the diary Resistance.
Enhances Eye Health
As referenced before, apricot benefits incorporate beta-carotene, a carotenoid that transforms into vitamin an in the body. This is extraordinary information for your peepers, as “vitamin an is indispensable to keeping up with visual perception and [preventing] night visual deficiency,” says Meshulam. Apricots likewise contain the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, as per the USDA. While lutein and zeaxanthin don’t transform into vitamin A, they’re as yet urgent for eye wellbeing, as they safeguard the retina, which is the tissue along the rear of your eye, as per a 2021 article in Advances in Sustenance. As the NLM makes sense of, the retina identifies light and sends pictures to your cerebrum, eventually assisting you with seeing. Lutein and zeaxanthin likewise safeguard the eye from oxidative pressure, which is engaged with eye problems, for example, age-related macular degeneration and waterfalls.
Helps with Hydration
It turns out that other produce besides cucumbers and celery is also hydrating. According to Meshulam, fresh apricots contain roughly 86 percent water, or about 30 grams of each apricot. She continues, “The calculations come out to around 1/8 cup of water per apricot.” This indicates that the “golden fruit” can help you meet your daily hydration requirements, which for healthy adults range from 4 to 6 cups of water. And just a friendly reminder, according to the CDC, being hydrated is crucial for general health since water is necessary for controlling your body’s temperature, eliminating waste, and safeguarding your spinal cord.
Potential Risks of Apricots
Apricots and other foods strong in potassium may need to be restricted or avoided if you have hyperkalemia, or high potassium levels. According to Iu, hyperkalemia “may disrupt the body’s electrolyte signals, which might cause an erratic heartbeat.” According to Iu, the syndrome can also be brought on by heart failure and a few drugs, albeit it is frequently linked to chronic kidney disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, eating apricots in certain situations may cause your potassium levels to rise even higher, which could lead to issues including weakness and nausea.
There are apricot allergies as well. However, since apricots and other fruits could cause allergies in some people, such as plums, peaches, sweet cherries, hazelnuts, and kiwis, you might want to proceed with caution if you have such a condition. Unsure if you’re in danger? As recommended by the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology, keep an eye out for typical food allergy symptoms including coughing, wheezing, hives, and stomach cramps, and consult your doctor if you do suffer any of them after eating apricots.
According to Jones, if you have a sensitive gut, eating too much of the fruit might result in digestive problems like indigestion and cramping in the stomach. Keep in mind that while apricots are high in fiber, you may be more susceptible to Gastrointestinal problems after eating them if you don’t consume enough fiber generally. Start slowly and gradually increase your consumption of fiber-rich foods, such as apricots, to be safe.
